THE POWER OF MIND. William Walker Atkinson

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      Our statement, in a previous chapter, that attention and interest is necessary before the mind will register a clear impression which can be readily reproduced, is particularly true in the case of impressions received through the sense of hearing. Good authorities have stated that “one­half of the deafness that exists, is the result of inattention.” This being the case it will readily be seen that the best way to cultivate improved ear perception is to cultivate attention and interest. This, perhaps, will be more easily understood when we remember that in many cases we are almost perfectly oblivious to the sounds around us, being intently occupied with some other subject, in which case the sounds enter our ears freely, but the mind being otherwise occupied fails to take cognizance of the impressions received. In many instances, however, we will be able to remember things which were said which at the time we failed to hear. This is the effect of the subconscious function of the mind, of which we have spoken in another chapter.

      It is a pity that in our modern life the training of the sense of hearing has been so much neglected. It is capable of affording us great pleasure and enjoyment as well as rendering us great service if educated and trained that we may receive from it the advantages which it is capable of affording. The sense of hearing may be more highly trained and developed than perhaps any of the other senses. It may be developed by exercise and culture and deteriorates by neglect and inattention. The Indian has such a wonderful sense of hearing, or rather has so trained his hearing, that he is enabled to hear the sound of the foot­steps of his approaching enemy by placing his ear to the ground. The mere rustling of a leaf or the cracking of a twig is distinctly heard by him. The leader of an orchestra will detect the faintest inharmony or departure from time or tune in his orchestra, and will be able to detect the faulty performer without hesitation. The blind being thrown back on their other senses, have developed these to a wonderful degree. They have so sharpened their sense of hearing, or rather the sense of attention and interest in sounds, that they can tell when they are passing a stationery object, by the sound of their own footsteps, and can discriminate between a lamp­post and a man standing still, by the same means.

      We give below several exercises intended to develop the sense of hearing by practice. These exercises are intended principally as suggestions to the student, that he may be able to take advantage of the opportunities around him in his daily occupation calculated to develop this sense.

      EXERCISE 1.

      When passing along the street, endeavor to catch up and retain for a few moments the scraps of conversation of the passers­by overheard by you. You will be surprised at the number and variety of disconnected sentences you will be able to hear and retain in the course of a walk of a few blocks. It is all a matter of attention and interest. This exercise is, of course, valuable only in the way of practice, as the remarks overheard will probably be of no importance, unless you are a student of human nature.

      EXERCISE 2.

      Endeavor to distinguish between the voices of people you meet, and to remember the voice if you hear it again. Everyone has a different voice, and it is quite interesting to study the different types of voices and their characteristics. You will notice that every man has his own way of pronouncing and accenting certain words. You will also notice that persons from different countries, and from different parts of our own country, have different tones and peculiarities in speech. We have known traveling men who almost invariably could determine from what part of the country a person came, by merely hearing him speak. Then a person’s character is often revealed by his voice, and the student of the subject will be able to form a very good idea of the speaker’s mental make­up in this way. It may pay you to devote a little time and attention to this subject, in odd moments.

      EXERCISE 3.

      An interesting exercise is that of standing where you cannot see the persons speaking, and endeavoring to distinguish their voices and to identify each speaker in turn. We have heard of a game of this sort, where a number of people sit behind a screen or curtain and speak a few words, endeavoring to disguise their voices. Those in front of the screen guess at the identity of the speaker. The result is said to be amusing, many finding it very difficult to recognize the voices of their best friends and relatives, while others who have paid more attention to voices will be able to identify the owner of every voice.

      EXERCISE 4.

      We knew a young woman employed in a large office building who could detect the slight difference in sound between the footsteps of every man having an office along the same long corridor. She claimed that each step had its own characteristics, and even went so far as to assert that the character of the walker revealed itself by the sound he made in placing his feet on the floor. There is a field here for one who wishes to study character at the same time developing his sense of hearing.

      EXERCISE 5.

      You will find it interesting and helpful to endeavor to remember the precise words that have been addressed to you during the course of the day just past. Very few people are able to correctly repeat that which has been said to them only a few moments before. Inattention is largely the cause. All employers know how little dependence can be placed in the attention and memory of the average employee in this respect. By cultivating your attention and memory along these lines, you may find it of advantage to you in your business life.

      EXERCISE 6.

      A useful exercise is that of listening to a simple piece of music, or a catchy tune, and then endeavoring to hum it over or whistle it. As simple as this may seem to be, it will prove to be a great help in ear training, and it will also develop the attention to sounds. Those who will practice it, will find that they are developing a new interest in tune, and will be able to enjoy music better than ever before.

      EXERCISE 7.

      You should attend all the lectures, sermons, addresses, etc., possible, and, paying strict attention to each, endeavor to afterwards jot down what you can remember of what you have heard. Review the address, and analyze it, and repeat as far as possible the words used. This is not only of value in developing ear perception and memory, but is one of the best possible means of becoming an expert speaker. Students who sit long under a favorite professor will gradually acquire more or less of his style, and the hearing of good speakers will gradually develop within the mind of the listener a power of expression far superior to that formerly possessed. This is particularly true if the student will endeavor to repeat sentences and expressions which he has heard. When one trains himself to memorize portions of the addresses of good speakers, and to repeat them as accurately as possible, not only the words but the tone and expression as well, he will find that he is developing within himself powers of delivery and expression which will prove quite useful in after life.

      EXERCISE 8.

      The best method of training the memory to retain and recall that which has been heard, is that used by the Hindus and other people in the transmission of their sacred teachings and philosophies, to which we have alluded in the preceding chapters. The keynote and secret of their wonderful system is small beginnings; gradual increase; and frequent reviews. In other chapters of this work, we will take up this system in detail, in connection with the practice of memorizing the contents of printed pages, etc., and we will merely go over it in general in this part of the book. The Hindu teachers begin by repeating a single line of their Vedas to the student. The latter memorizes this line thoroughly, imprinting both the words and their meaning upon his mind indelibly, so that he knows every word in the line as if it stood out before him. He can repeat the line backward or forward and knows the position of each word. Then he learns another line the next day, after which he reviews the first line, following it up with the second one just learned, thus joining them together in his mind. The next day a third line is added, the first two being reviewed and the third joined to them. And so on, one line each day, and constant review and joining together of the new line and the old ones. The review is, of course, СКАЧАТЬ